2 Don’t give your soul to a woman and let her trample down your strength. (WEB) 3 Don’t go to meet a woman who plays the prostitute, lest perhaps you fall into her snares. (WEB) 4 Don’t associate with a woman who is a singer, lest perhaps you be caught by her tricks. (WEB) 5 Don’t gaze at a virgin, lest perhaps you stumble and incur penalties for her. (WEB) 6 Don’t give your soul to prostitutes, that you not lose your inheritance. (WEB) 7 Don’t look around in the streets of the city. Don’t wander in its deserted places. (WEB) 8 Turn your eye away from a beautiful woman, and don’t gaze at another’s beauty. Many have been led astray by the beauty of a woman; and with this, passion is kindled like a fire. (WEB) 9 Don’t dine at all with a woman who has a husband, or revel with her at wine, lest perhaps your soul turn away to her, and with your spirit you slide into destruction. (WEB)
Sirach 9:2–9
Semantically similar passages
Sirach 25:20–22
20 As walking up a sandy hill is to the feet of the aged, so is a wife full of words to a quiet man. (WEB) 21 Don’t be ensnared by a woman’s beauty. Don’t desire a woman for her beauty. (WEB) 22 There is anger, impudence, and great reproach if a woman supports her husband. (WEB)
Proverbs 6:24–26
24 to keep you from the evil woman, from the smooth tongue of the adulteress. 25 Do not lust in your heart for her beauty or let her captivate you with her eyes. 26 For the levy of the prostitute is poverty, and the adulteress preys upon your very life.
Sirach 42:11–13
11 Keep a strict watch over a headstrong daughter, lest she make you a laughingstock to your enemies, a byword in the city and notorious among the people, and shame you in public. (WEB) 12 Don’t gaze at every beautiful body. Don’t sit in the midst of women. (WEB) 13 For from garmen… (WEB)
Testament of Reuben 2:19–21
19 And the women lusting in their minds after their forms, gave birth to giants, for the Watchers appeared to them as reaching even unto heaven. (T12) 20 Beware, therefore, of fornication; and if you wish to be pure in mind, guard your senses from every woman. (T12) 21 And command… (T12)
Proverbs 31:2–4
2 What shall I say, O my son? What, O son of my womb? What, O son of my vows? 3 Do not spend your strength on women or your vigor on those who ruin kings. 4 It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine, or for rulers to crave strong drink,
Proverbs 5:7–9
7 So now, my sons, listen to me, and do not turn aside from the words of my mouth. 8 Keep your path far from her; do not go near the door of her house, 9 lest you concede your vigor to others, and your years to one who is cruel;
Proverbs 7:24–26
24 Now, my sons, listen to me, and attend to the words of my mouth. 25 Do not let your heart turn aside to her ways; do not stray into her paths. 26 For she has brought many down to death; her slain are many in number.
Testament of Reuben 1:34–36
34 Pay no heed to the face of a woman, (T12) 35 Nor associate with another man's wife, (T12) 36 Nor meddle with affairs of womankind. (T12)
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